1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting PC (personal computer) expansion cards or covers into computer case slots provided for same and more particularly to clips for easing such mountings by obviating the need for screws to retain the expansion cards or covers on said slot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most PCs are bought with a limited number of functions. Extra functions such as modems, sound cards, math co-processor cards etc. may be added later by inserting an expansion card having the desired function into an expansion slot found at the back of the PC case. This expansion slot may be vertical or horizontal and is usually covered with a blank cover screwed to the PC case.
Referring to FIG. 1 it will be seen that the typical PC case (10) has a series of expansion slots (12) formed at the rear (14) of the PC case (10). These slots (12) extend from a ledge (16) and have a top opening (18) perpendicular to the slots (12). A series of circular holes (20) are centrally located at the end of each top opening (18). The opening (18, 12) are usually covered with blank covers (22) having a narrow tip (24) and a right angle leg (26) with a hole (28) therein. The tip (24) is inserted into a slot (30) with the cover (22) extending over opening (12) and the leg (26) extending over opening (18) and with the hole (28) being aligned with the ledge hole (20). A screw (32) is screwed into the ledge (18) through the hole (28) and may be extended to the hole (20) to positively lock the cover (22) over the expansion slot (12). This procedure is done for all the expansion holes in the initial manufacture of the PC.
When an expansion card (34) is needed, one cover (22) is removed from the conforming expansion slot and the expansion card (34) is located therein. Since the card (34) is typically mounted to a cover plate similar in construction to the plate (22) the prime numbering has been retained for similar parts of the expansion card and the blank cover. The insertion of the card (34) and cover (22xe2x80x2) is as was described earlier for cover (22).
Since the holes (28, 20) are small, as is the screw (28), alignment and threading of the screw (28) into the aligned holes is time consuming and difficult with the screw usually falling into the PC case components and having to be fished out of there.
What the prior art lacked was a simple method of retaining expansion cards and blank covers in the PC case.
The present invention solves the problems associated with prior art cover retaining means and others by providing two different types of clips for retaining an expansion card or a blank cover in the computer case without the use of screws. In one embodiment a clip mountable to the PC case is used for retaining either a prior art screw type blank cover (22) or an expansion card (34) for the PC over an expansion slot by snapping a flexible tip of the PC clip into the screw hole found in both prior art blank covers and expansion cards.
In a second embodiment the clip is made integral with the blank cover or expansion card. The clip includes a spring leg portion formed from the elongated clip body at the top of the clip but below the angled short leg portion of the clip to allow the clip to capture the computer case between the short leg portion and the spring leg portion. The spring leg portion presses against the computer case and is disengaged by pushing it forward from engagement with a tool inserted through a slot in the clip.
In view of the foregoing it will be seen that one aspect of the present inventions is to provide a means for mounting a PC expansion card or expansion slot cover over an expansion slot in the PC without the use of screws.
Another aspect is to provide a clip, which is easily mounted to a PC case to retain either PC expansion cards or blank expansions slot covers during the initial manufacture of the PC.
Yet another aspect is to provide an integral clip and expansion card cover, which is easily mounted to a PC case without the use of screws.
Still yet another aspect is to provide an integral clip and blank expansion slot cover which is easily mounted to a PC case without the use of screws.
These and other aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood after a review of the following description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the accompanying drawings.